Broccoli looks funny!!

  • 14 Replies
  • 3210 Views
*

Nomes

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Location: Poole Dorset
  • 8
Broccoli looks funny!!
« on: July 27, 2011, 20:14 »
Hi, I'm a virgin broccoli grower and need some advice! All my plants have got "heads" on them but they are the size of an average floret and not as compact as the ones you buy in the shops! Should I leave them longer or do I need to cut them to encourage more growth?! I'm worried that something has gone wrong! Thanks for reading. xxx

*

DD.

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Loughborough. a/k/a Digger Dave. Prettiest Pumpkin prizewinner 2011
  • 30465
  • Pea God & Founder Member of The NFGG
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2011, 20:19 »
There's broccoli and there's broccoli.

I expect what you were expecting is "Calabrese", marketed as broccoli!
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

*

Nomes

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Location: Poole Dorset
  • 8
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2011, 20:22 »
Oh ok! So is normal broccoli more like one floret or head on a spear?! My mum grew Purple Sprouting broccoli that looked like that last year! xxx

*

DD.

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Loughborough. a/k/a Digger Dave. Prettiest Pumpkin prizewinner 2011
  • 30465
  • Pea God & Founder Member of The NFGG
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2011, 20:28 »
That's what we tend to term as broccoli.

*

Nomes

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Location: Poole Dorset
  • 8
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2011, 20:33 »
Brilliant! Thanks for answering so quickly! Broccoli for dinner tomorrow then! I'm sure I'll have plenty of other silly questions but once they're answered they'll be stored forever! Happy growing. xxx

*

whippersnapper

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Cotswolds
  • 147
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2011, 22:58 »
This is exactly why I stopped growing calabrese: loose heads that flowered far too readily.

*

shokkyy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Swindon
  • 2299
  • Mishka
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2011, 02:20 »
The one I grew this year is called calabrese on the packet, but it's really not. Between seven plants the central heads aren't enough to feed two people, and nor are they compact once they get more than two inches across :)

Anybody tell me a variety that really really is a calabrese that will give me a decent size head?

*

DD.

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Loughborough. a/k/a Digger Dave. Prettiest Pumpkin prizewinner 2011
  • 30465
  • Pea God & Founder Member of The NFGG
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2011, 05:48 »
That may not be down to the seed, but the growing conditions.

Calabrese, like cauliflower is not the easiest of things to get right. I tried once 8 years ago, the fact that I've not tried again until this year is a testament to that! I don't know this year's results yet.

*

Stevens706

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Preston
  • 492
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2011, 12:59 »
The new plot neighbours Calibrese was great this year, way better than mine, even the secondary heads were big, might be first time lucky, they were from Suttons, Broccoli F1 Green Magic. I intend to get some for next year quite expensive at £3.55 for 60 seeds.he new plot neighbours Calibrese was great this year, way better than mine, even the secondary heads were big, might be first time lucky, they were from Suttons, Broccoli F1 Green Magic. I intend to get some for next year little more expensive at £3.55 for 60 seeds.
Paul

*

sunshineband

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading, Berkshire
  • 32056
  • Tallest Sunflower prizewinner 2014
    • A Little Bit of Sunshine
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2011, 15:35 »
As I always cut up the heads of any purchased calabrese into small spears, I am happy with growing smallish spears the size of PSB ones tbh  :D :D :D
Wisdom is knowing what to ignore - be comfortable in your own skin.
My Blog
My Diary
My Diary Comments

*

shokkyy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Swindon
  • 2299
  • Mishka
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2011, 01:52 »
The new plot neighbours Calibrese was great this year, way better than mine, even the secondary heads were big, might be first time lucky, they were from Suttons, Broccoli F1 Green Magic. I intend to get some for next year quite expensive at £3.55 for 60 seeds.he new plot neighbours Calibrese was great this year, way better than mine, even the secondary heads were big, might be first time lucky, they were from Suttons, Broccoli F1 Green Magic. I intend to get some for next year little more expensive at £3.55 for 60 seeds.

So good that you had to say it twice?  :D :D :D

*

DD.

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Loughborough. a/k/a Digger Dave. Prettiest Pumpkin prizewinner 2011
  • 30465
  • Pea God & Founder Member of The NFGG
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2011, 05:51 »
How many did you sow?

Whilst of the face of it that's quite expensive, (I've seen worse than that, though), that packet would last me 3 years, that's only just over a quid a year.

I'd sow them in modules, 20 at a time. You'd be guaranteed nearly 100% germination. I'd perhpas even consider smaller, staggered sowings.

*

Growster...

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Hawkhurst, Kent
  • 13162
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2011, 06:08 »
Since I took off the main central crowns on some of our PSB, the side shoots have been proliferating to varying degrees, from the 'hump and sulk', to a Jimi Hendrix hairstyle of lovely tasting small florets, mostly about the size of the average finger.

No plant seems to be reacting the same, but that's fine by us, as there's still plenty to go round from a dozen plants (one row).

Next year, we'll make sure we know what sort of plants they are...

*

Aidy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Born n bred Lancastrian living in tropical Blackpool
  • 5746
    • Aidy Neal Photography
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2011, 12:12 »
Another reason for loose heads is the ground is not firm enough when you planted them, similar to sprouts etc you need to jump up and down to really compress the earth.
A lot of these brassicas hate ground that is not hard, they rock in the wind etc.
Punk isn't dead...it's underground where it belongs. If it comes to the surface it's no longer punk...it's Green Day!

*

Stevens706

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Preston
  • 492
Re: Broccoli looks funny!!
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2011, 12:51 »
Don't know how the double typing happend, sorry about that folks



question
Funny, horrible black balls on my broccoli

Started by whitecat on Grow Your Own

3 Replies
2299 Views
Last post June 29, 2009, 22:55
by whitecat
xx
Funny Tops On Leaks and Is it too late for my broccoli?

Started by mike2niner4 on Grow Your Own

9 Replies
2506 Views
Last post June 15, 2008, 09:06
by mike2niner4
xx
Broccoli

Started by grizzlymonkyboy on Grow Your Own

9 Replies
2265 Views
Last post August 02, 2011, 20:22
by waddecar
xx
broccoli

Started by rowlandwells on Grow Your Own

4 Replies
698 Views
Last post May 20, 2022, 21:09
by Contadino
 

Page created in 0.347 seconds with 38 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |